Dear Sherri, it truly means a great deal to me that you have entered this discussion. I know how much courage it takes to do this. It can be very scary to let others know both of our secrets and our pain. Plus, as you mention, there is the fear of old memories resurfacing. Sometimes, though, talking about it—at least for me—can remove some of the power of the memories, so I hope this is true for you.

In terms of your question, yes, I, too, always felt as if I had this mark on my forehead. I mean, I felt as if my body would, in some way, show what was happening to me. So I can totally relate to what you say. I think, for me, since I felt that way inside (emotionally)—that I was “unclean”— I felt as if this feeling was being projected outside. Of course now I know that it was my father who should have felt “unclean,” not me. After all, I was just a little girl. But it took me quite a few years in therapy to reach this understanding.

Thank you, too, for sharing such a powerful and heartfelt poem. I love how you repeat the line “Remember, you are a survivor” at the end of each stanza, so that you can emphasize your message. It seems as if you, too, have found that writing helps in the recovery. I always feel emotionally “lighter” after writing; I hope you do, too. Again, thank you so much for sharing some of your story, both through your post and your poem. I know it definitely helps me to know I’m not alone. Sue